I Am
by MegamiMya
Summary: (Ch. 1 is confusing but PLEASE get through it) Heero and Relena's relationship is a roller coaster. One night, delegates disappear, is Relena a target too? What is Heero going to do? Relena seems so far away to him...And who's this Brian guy?(Ch 3 up!!!!)
1. Switched Identities

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN THEM! SO HA!  
  
AN: Hey! I would like to thank Demon Child for this idea! I am taking it from one of the reviews and just altering it a bit. I fell in love with idea for a fic and I had to use it! (Oh, and thanks for reviewing on Truth Behind the Lies, it's appreciated greatly!) Well, I have a feeling this one might take a while, but who knows. Please read and review! ^_^ Thanks!  
  
Switched Identities  
  
She was in a room, white walls surrounding her with carpeting to match. She sat silently in a chair placed in the center of the room, well, as center as you can get when all was dark. The only light apparent was that emanating from a small dark hole behind her that was slightly off center so that the thin beam missed her head.  
  
"I want you to look at these pictures and identify the people in them," a firm voice commanded, echoing a bit in her ears.  
  
She looked around, bemused, wondering where the speaker's voice was coming from. Cocking her head to the side she noticed a small box sitting in the corner. Her bafflement ebbed slowly and she focused on the beam of light that delicately splashed on the wall before her.  
  
Suddenly, the light transformed into a large rectangular shape, the brightness increasing considerably. She squinted her eyes and ignored their pleas to avert them.  
  
'Click.'  
  
A picture of a middle-aged man with long, flowing platinum blonde hair and gorgeous azure eyes was staring back at her, matching her scrutiny with which seemed little effort. Though the picture was in a still frame, he felt alive, as if his presence had been in the picture.  
  
"I don't know who he is."  
  
'Click.'  
  
This time, it was a photo of a group of women. She first noted the woman who sported thick blonde hair contained in a downward 'spiral'. The woman standing next to her had bluish hair and soft, warm eyes of which she came to like very much. The last woman stood behind the first two, her light brown eyes gazing thoughtfully at someone standing next to her who was cut off but the picture. She had a smile on her face, pleasant and doleful, and brown hair that was layered in silky waves.  
  
"And them?" the masculine voice question after a moment of pondering.  
  
"No."  
  
'Click'. 'Click'. 'Click'. 'Click'. 'Click'.  
  
She answered no to the five pictures that whizzed past.  
  
"Am I finished yet?" It was getting boring quite fast.  
  
"One more."  
  
'Click'.  
  
She was now faced with a man who owned spiky chocolate brown hair and the prettiest, most intense Cobalt blue eyes she'd ever encountered in her lifetime. They were so alluring and mysterious, infiltrated with an abysmal emptiness that she could easily get lost in-  
  
"Him?"  
  
So many pointless questions.  
  
She felt a minor tug of recognition at the back of her mind. A vague whisper across her heart caused her stomach to lurch. Did this man mean anything to her?  
  
"No."  
  
"Okay, we're through. Lunch break then a little free time, how does that sound?" the man was trying his best to make it sound..appealing. After all, her life had been a routine for as long time now.  
  
She brushed a couple strands of hair from her face after she nodded. The faint sound of the 'swish' of a door alerted her to look to her left. Light poured through the crack where the door was concealed previously.  
  
"You're doing excellent. I believe that we're almost finished."  
  
She stepped through into the light, shading her eyes for a couple minutes. Her head turned towards her 'partner', though, she very much believed that he was helping the cause of Dr. Maffis instead of actually wanting to be there, watching over her 24/7. Not exactly reassuring, but he was the only company she ever had since..since..  
  
Her thoughts went awry after a hand clamped on her shoulder. A chill ran up her spine, gooseflesh prickling up on her skin.  
  
"Claire." a deep but surprisingly calming voice floated around her. "I'm sorry to have to put you through all this."  
  
Claire looked down to her feet, where in this room too, the carpeting was black. She liked her room upstairs. It had lavish carpeting in which you could trace the patterns in with you mind if you were bored, which she was most of the time.  
  
"Turn around," he commanded gently. Obediently, she did as she was told. She stared at the medium sized man who stood just a few hairs shorter than she. He had a mop of silver curls that were thinning due to his distinctly old age and ambiguous ways. Brown eyes framed in small glasses sparkled in bright excitement, not for anything in particular, just for life itself.  
  
"Dr. Maffis," she greeted with an acknowledging nod of her head. He smiled, creasing worn folds on his face as he did.  
  
"I applaud you on your efforts, and now we will be able to let you out of this..compound to explore your new abilities on a mission I have for you."  
  
This caught her attention. She brought her head up and stared straight ahead, a small grin playing on her face.  
  
"I knew you'd like that. Well, let's get some lunch and after break I will explain to you what I'd like you to do for me." He took off his glasses and wiped them on the bottom of his navy shirt as he left.  
  
"Claire, I bet you're excited." Brian came up to her, his clear sky blue eyes hiding partially beneath his sandy brown hair. Brian was about her age but acted far beyond it when dealing with Dr. Maffis (and ONLY with Dr. Maffis). Other times he was a complete daft. He slung one of his well- toned arms around her in a friendly gesture.  
  
"Hell yeah!" Claire clenched her hands in to fists and raised them, forgetting about his arm and how attached to his arm was a body..  
  
"Hey! Watch it, what are you trying to do?" he shouted in surprise as her fist grazed his cheek  
  
"Oops, I'm sorry!" her face flushed to a light red.  
  
"I'm hungry," Brian said after a few moments of silence.  
  
"Yeah, let's go."  
  
They both headed out, Brian playfully punching the side of her arms.  
  
"Hey!"  
  
He ran down the hall before she could take action.  
  
"You come back here! Fight me like a man!"  
  
Dr. Maffis in the lounging area heard shouts getting progressively closer.  
  
'She's succeeded in keeping her humanity and kindness in tact, but this mission might be too cruel for her emotional stamina to take.'  
  
Brian came barreling in, glee on his face as he ran towards the counter where the food was stationed.  
  
"Brian!" Claire hurtled in a couple seconds after.  
  
"Ha, too slow. You need to learn how to run. Like. A. Man."  
  
"Do I sense, mockery?" Claire gasped in over dramatized shock. She also headed towards the food, her stomach growling loudly.  
  
The badgering came to a halt on account of the truce that came into affect while eating. The most words ever heard during this point in time were: Can you pass the _____________ or are you sure this is food?  
  
Claire anxiously anticipated her mission after break. She was restless and tired of waiting. She twitched a little, staring at the clock while playing a game of chess against Brian.  
  
"Check mate," he declared, beating his fists against his chest lightly just to show his victory. "You never lose, what's wrong?"  
  
"Nothing's wrong, I just am so close to be let into the outside world." Claire murmured wistfully.  
  
"Oh, on this mission, I'm going with you!" Brian slid off the various pieces off the chessboard and into a large bag. Folding the board he shook his head and said in a tone that you'd only use for small children. "Dr. Maffis and I don't want anything happening to our lil' Claire on her first mission."  
  
She rolled her eyes. "Oh the joy and rapture I am feeling towards the fact of your accompaniment." She glanced at the clock again.  
  
"Claire, Brian, I am ready now."  
  
Claire bolted out of her seat and to Dr. Maffis's office. Brian followed, not nearly as enthused.  
  
"Come, sit down." Dr. Maffis waved for Brian to close the door, not that anyone was going to hear, it just seemed like an easy precaution to handle.  
  
"Claire, we've had you in training long enough and I believe that you are ready for what I am about to give you. It's a large responsibility but I know that you will do well to uphold it."  
  
As Claire sat down in the large chair, she felt herself sink into the cushy stuffing.  
  
"Your first mission is not physically stressing, but mentally. You'll be able to handle it though."  
  
Claire was getting antsy, her hands gripping the end of the armrests.  
  
"Do you understand that you must follow ALL orders given to you?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Very good. You are now Relena Dorlain. You must act, think, and take on all the responsibilities that she had upheld. Relena Dorlain has been missing for about five months now and it'll be easy for you. That's why I had you grow your hair out halfway through training."  
  
Claire nodded in understanding.  
  
"You have remarkable similarities, as if you two were almost identical. Brian here will be your 'personal bodyguard' just as a gimmick for him to be near you. You must respond to the name Relena, so get accustomed to it."  
  
"Relena." She tested the name on her tongue, not really like it as her own.  
  
"I will further explain this mission when I give you your supplies. But Claire, when you are outside of this compound, you MUST not give away who you are and where you came from. It must be a secret at all times."  
  
"Understood, sir."  
  
"Very well then. I must go retrieve some documents I need you to read over on Relena, then we'll put you through a training course to get you into character. All right?"  
  
Claire suppressed a groan. ANOTHER training session? Well, at least this one would count drastically towards her performance on her mission.  
  
Dr. Maffis shuffled out of the room.  
  
"I am Relena Dorlain."  
  
  
  
  
  
AN: My chapters are going to be pretty short, but some may vary! I'll try my hardest to get them out but with school fast approaching, I might not have as much time! _ EEK! Okay, well, reviews would be greatly appreciated, thanks! 


	2. Imposter

Disclaimer: I don't own them, LEAVE me ALONE! *runs off crying*  
  
AN: OMG, I actually got this one out pretty quickly. Well now, I actually know where this one is headed and PLEASE REVIEW. Thanks. ^_^ It's appreciated. Um, I hope you enjoy! I really have nothing to say...  
  
  
  
Imposter  
  
  
  
Relena was missing, and all those who loved her were at the end of their hope. It had been five long months of arduous searching but still, they came to no avail. She had just vanished as if into thin air. Her position as Vice Foreign Minister hadn't been denounced, for people still hoped for her to come back. They claimed that it would be downright disrespectful, but still, who could take her place anyway?  
  
((Relena's Office))  
  
"Denise?"  
  
Denise's head perked up from her typing at the mellifluous voice that she hadn't heard in so long. Not sure how to react, Denise took a break from her typing and uncertainly crept to the door.  
  
"Denise, I can't open the door, my hands are full, could you please-"  
  
Denise grabbed the doorknob and twisted it, swinging it open with a curious strength.  
  
"Miss Relena!" her jaw dropped in awe.  
  
"Yes?" Relena clutched the large stack of documents to her chest, a large black bag strapped over her shoulder.  
  
"I...I- can I help you carry some of that?" Denise stepped forward only to be halted by a large, solid looking man. He wore a black T-shirt, and dark blue jeans, a gun at his hip along with a walkie-talkie on his belt. He had light blondish brown hair and a frown that increased the beauty of his perfect face.  
  
Relena took one look at Denise's face and laughed.  
  
"Brian, you don't have to scare her like that, and why didn't you open the door for me? You were perfectly capable-" Relena began to chastise, but was quieted by Brian's glare.  
  
"Denise, this is my new bodyguard, Brian. I hope you two will get along," she returned Brian's glare, "nicely."  
  
"New?" Denise whispered, aghast.  
  
Relena smiled, shoving all the documents into Brian's arms, and opened her own to take Denise in one of those: all women do it just because men don't, hugs.  
  
Relena pulled herself from the hug and checked her watch. "Well, I believe I have a lot of catching up to do."  
  
With a small uncertain nod, Denise led Ms. Relena in, going over the news of what happened lately, and everything that Relena needed to catch up on. She didn't seem particularly interested, THAT lack of interest that said to Denise: I already know what you're talking about, so let me be.  
  
Relena gave her thanks to Denise, trying her best to sound sincere, but she was bored to death already. Denise exited the room, her brow furrowed in confused contemplation.  
  
The door closed behind Denise with a shudder. Relena fell back into the chair of her desk. It was not nearly as comfortable as the ones Dr. Maffis owned, but it was nice with the velvet covering and smooth finish that made the wood gleam.  
  
"I don't know if I can do this," Relena muttered ashamedly.  
  
"Oh, you're finally on a mission and now you're turning yellow?" Brian commented, staring at the ceiling while sitting on the guest couch that hugged the wall off to Relena's right. He leaned back, enjoying the smell that the leather emitted.  
  
"I am not, it's just that if I have to WORK under these conditions, well, I might have to plead insanity when I report back to Dr. Maffis."  
  
"Oh, that's a shame, well, not really."  
  
Relena snorted, interrupting Brian from any further insulting.  
  
"Well, it's a nice place you have now, and now you're out to do as you please. Well, sort of."  
  
Brian's condolences weren't convincing.  
  
"Yeah." Relena looked around, soaking in the surroundings. There was a window behind her desk, long light fixtures that held a fluorescent glow, even a little propped up name tag that printed 'her' name in gold letters. This was hers now, her domain, her territory. Some part of her couldn't believe it, the other part internally bragged and rejoiced at her newfound freedom contained within this mission of which she knew little about.  
  
"Cl-Relena," Brian fumbled with her name. She chuckled and waved a finger.  
  
"Now don't you go messing things up for me."  
  
Brian frowned, eyes shooting not just daggers, but also a glint of mischief.  
  
"Yeah, actually, I can screw this up for you," he said, suddenly enlightened. Relena gripped her chair, smoldering blue eyes daring him to go ahead and mess everything up.  
  
"I was kidding, can't you take a joke? Sheesh." Brian let the length of his body take up the remainder of the couch. "Anyway, you need me as a big part in this, so I wouldn't screw it up for myself."  
  
Relena chewed her lower lip, watching him close his eyes. He lay on his stomach, his knees hitting the end of the couch.  
  
She sat quietly.  
  
His breathing slowed and a soft snore was soon heard. Relena glowered at her partner but didn't disturb him.  
  
A couple minutes passed by. Relena finally glanced at the stack of papers piled on her desk in a dizzy array.  
  
About a half an hour later, the snores continued, the paperwork was still tedious and not even close to being done.  
  
Approximately fifteen minutes later, Relena sat back in her chair, and thus found out that it had wheels.  
  
Twenty minutes later, after rolling back and forth for a while, she decided that enough was enough.  
  
Stalking out of her chair, she stormed to the couch, growled, and then sat on his up back. He didn't wake, not even peek open an eye sleepily. He just kept snoring, and snoring.  
  
"Brian, wake up!"  
  
Snore.  
  
"Brian! I'm hungry."  
  
Snore and oh, a sign of living, he scratched his head.  
  
"Brian!" she practically screamed. He didn't move.  
  
Sighing in defeat, she proceeded to sit on him. Her eyes roamed over his gun and walkie talkie.  
  
Oooooh, a gun. That would be fun if used properly.  
  
Her hand was outstretched to slide it out of its holster when a hand suddenly grasped hers firmly. Brian tried to hide his laugh, but it ended up as a deep roaring sound in the back of his throat. His hand firmly had a grip on her wrist.  
  
"Brian! Were you awake all this time? Why I ought to-"  
  
Suddenly the door opened, a man walked in, stopped, stared, and kept staring. Relena knew how awkward the situation was: A highly respected politician sitting atop a 'sleeping' man, ready to spit out various threats, was not something you expected to see.  
  
A flash of recognition made her stand in sudden urgency, Brian's hand falling from her wrist.  
  
"Quatre." The man's name rolled off her tongue easily.  
  
"Relena...um." he blushed. "Was I interrupting something?"  
  
She felt her cheeks grow unnaturally warm.  
  
"Well, no." Relena searched for a topic changer. "What business has been so generously nice to have me graced by your presence?"  
  
Quatre didn't seem to take any regard to her words.  
  
"Relena, you're back, you're finally back." A sad glimmer highlighted Quatre's light blue eyes. He strode towards Relena and captured her in an embrace that was used for times when one hadn't seen the other in a very LONG time. Relena was caught by surprise but hugged back. Her nostrils were filled with his natural scent and Old Spice. Or maybe it was something similar, what did she know? She hadn't seen sunlight since...  
  
"We were all so worried." He breathed into her hair. He pulled away right when she was enjoying the comfort of the warmth. "Heero hasn't said anything, but I know he's sorry."  
  
"Sorry for what?"  
  
Quatre looked bewildered. Both from her question and the gun pointed at his head. Brian was trying to hold back a smirk. It was his job to make everyone's lives tough and semi miserable.  
  
"Brian." Relena hissed.  
  
"What?" he kept his gun level with Quatre's forehead. "You've already said my name about a million times, WHAT IS IT?"  
  
Quatre's eyes widened.  
  
"Put the gun down, it's Quatre Winner. You can trust him, he's owner of the Winner-" When Relena was cut off again, she smacked the arm that held Quatre at gunpoint.  
  
"I know, I know." He DID know in fact. When Dr. Maffis was giving them the 'inside scoop' on everyone they were probably going to associate with, he had tirelessly babbled on about the Gundam Pilots in particular.  
  
Brian lowered his gun. "I trust no one."  
  
Quatre had never seen this man before in his entire life, well, with Relena at least. They acted as if they'd been associated for a long period of time, maybe like...a couple.  
  
"Quatre." Relena caught his attention. "How did you know I was back?"  
  
Quatre remembered the call of one very flustered secretary that he'd become very close with because of his ties with Relena.  
  
"Denise called me, reporting that you were back. I didn't believe her at first, but now I have no doubts."  
  
Relena didn't know much about Denise. Dr. Maffis hadn't really gone into much detail with her about this woman working for her. She was going to give Dr. Maffis an earful when she reported in.  
  
"Well, I'm glad she did call you. I've been wanting to see everyone again, it's been so long." Relena knew that wasn't the smartest thing to say.  
  
Quatre frowned abruptly, his tone grave and carried a hard edge. "Where have you been?"  
  
"I took an unexpected vacation," Relena replied bluntly. Quatre didn't seem to buy that.  
  
"You left without a trace. Heero said that you hadn't left anything behind or any signs that you had packed for any occasion."  
  
Uh oh.  
  
Panic consumed her veraciously.  
  
"I left so that no one could find me. Side trips were unnecessary." Relena hoped that would save her.  
  
Dr. Maffis was going to get it now. He had never mentioned anything about the REAL Relena being infatuated with Heero Yuy. Actually, Dr. Maffis had never mentioned any of Relena's emotional ties at all.  
  
"He also said that you walked out that night, taking off your wedding ring and leaving it on the kitchen table."  
  
Relena couldn't think of what to say.  
  
"What happened that night Relena?"  
  
"I-" Relena stopped, her stomach dropping and her throat tightening. There was a deadly silence that Relena despised.  
  
Quatre arched an eyebrow but then smiled grimly. "I suppose this isn't the proper place to discuss this."  
  
Relena gulped, relief flooding her, and nodded. She went over to her desk and motioned for Quatre to sit down where Brian had been previously laying. Quatre sat, eyes never leaving her.  
  
Relena looked at her watch, the tiny black hands saying it was a quarter past one. Her stomach gurgled, maybe it was telling her something.  
  
"Would you like to join me for lunch perhaps?" Relena played with a pen that she had recently used to write and sign with earlier.  
  
"That'd be lovely." Quatre smiled politely.  
  
Lunch was informal and pleasing to Relena. The tense mood suddenly was vanquished and Quatre's charm was hard not to notice. It had taken them about three hours to eat. They had spent a good part of the time to re- acquaint themselves (though it was really 'Relena's' first time meeting him). News was shared along with events and stories of what was happening in other peoples' lives. Other people as in the Gundam Pilots.  
  
Duo and Hilde were planning on getting married fairly soon, Quatre was dating a girl named Heather after a failing relationship with Dorothy was finally ended, Wufei was training in martial arts (still uninterested in the feminine species), and Trowa was currently seeing a lawyer from the colonies who still went unnamed.  
  
Thankfully, they stayed off the subject of Heero and how he was. She knew she couldn't avoid it all her life, but she could hope for delay.  
  
They made it back to her office by at least five thirty. Quatre walked her back up, greeting Denise as they walked in.  
  
Relena had noticed that Brian had melded into the background to act as her 'bodyguard'. She hadn't seen him since the incident involving the door slammed in his face as they left her building. Boy, she had waited all day for that.  
  
Relena groped the wall for the light switch, feeling an unpleasant chill grasp her. As light flooded the room, she noticed someone standing at her window, staring out at the gray overcast sky.  
  
"Heero?"  
  
He didn't turn around right away; he seemed to be thinking. When he DID turn around, his eyes were empty. The forever type of empty that made your heart skip a beat.  
  
Quatre froze, unsure of what the next move was supposed to be.  
  
"Welcome back."  
  
Relena noticed the blandness in his tone, the dispassion that should've outraged her...if she had known him better.  
  
Remember, you were married to him according to Quatre, so, act normal, Relena coached herself. It wasn't working though.  
  
"Who are you?" Brian's harsh voice replaced the wordless gap.  
  
Heero didn't even look at Brian as he moved past Relena and Quatre, gun readily in hand. Relena silently thanked Brian for his audacity and the fact that it was his part to play.  
  
Heero didn't answer, but Brian didn't care, he already knew.  
  
"State your business."  
  
"I just wanted to see Relena," Heero returned uninterested. "Shoot if you like."  
  
Brian shook his head and put away his gun.  
  
"You play dirty." Brian joked. Heero didn't see anything funny so he turned back to the window as if it were more exciting.  
  
"You left this." Heero held something up in his hand, she could only guess what is was. She automatically looked at his left hand, noticing the golden band around his finger.  
  
"Is it-" Relena couldn't bring herself to ask it, for she might be wrong.  
  
There was a soft 'clinking' sound as it hit the wood of her desk. It jumped once or twice, but then lay still. All was quiet, breaths held in anticipation. Relena walked forward a little. She saw a golden ring with two diamonds proudly accentuating the delicate loop.  
  
Heero had walked over to Relena's side, careful not to come into any physical contact with her. She felt the heat radiating from him, breathed in his scent, could hear his soft breathing.  
  
"Why did you go?" he finally broke the ominous silence.  
  
The hair on her nape prickled up. She closed her eyes, pretending to be in deep reminiscence. Quatre had somehow made his way through the door with Brian, who was broadly smiling at Relena. She would've whacked him with anything she could get her hands on if not for the fact that she had to focus on what needed to be done so that she wouldn't blow her cover.  
  
"I was just so angry, I couldn't stand being in the same room with you." Maybe she was being a bit extreme, but he seemed to believe her.  
  
His expression softened, but his eyes remained cold. "You should've said something before things got out of hand."  
  
Think, think, think!  
  
"I would've, but I was afraid."  
  
"Afraid?"  
  
"That you wouldn't," she tried to make it as though her eyes were tearing, "You wouldn't accept it and you'd want to get a divorce."  
  
"No," he said, his tone suddenly gentle. Relena was suddenly engulfed in his arms. His powerful arms that were hidden by the jacket he was wearing. He nestled his head into her hair and breathed in deeply. Automatically, Relena slid her arms loosely around his waist, well, a lot looser than his grip.  
  
"I missed you," he murmured almost inaudibly. Relena almost felt guilty that she WASN'T really the one he missed, just a very good imposter.  
  
  
  
AN: So, what do you think of it so far? Please review! Thanks! Well, it surprised me that I got this chapter! I don't think they'll come any quicker than this though. *tear* Well, thanks to those who have reviewed! I hope you've enjoyed the story so far. 


	3. Suspicions

Disclaimer: I do not own them. I have nothing, this is just for FUN!  
  
AN: Hi there! Sorry this chapter took so long to get out. Agh, I just started my first year at high school and all the upperclassmen dislike freshmen. -_- Ah, to be a freshman. Anyway, I'm not sure if I should continue really because a.) I've got no time b.) It doesn't seem like anybody is reading this fic and c.) Life is always interfering. So who knows, I'll decide when the time comes. Please enjoy this chapter!  
  
Suspicions  
  
She was frozen, like a still life trapped in motion. This man, whom she felt as though she knew all her life, wasn't a man she'd ever remembered. He was real, but not in her mind. All he was to her was just a man.  
  
She tried to move, but his muscle bound arms held her in place whether she liked it or not. She liked it, it's just that she was...a bit uncomfortable.  
  
"Will you come back with me?" Heero asked, pulling her back a little to look into her eyes. She let him search hers for a little before tearing her gaze down to the floor.  
  
"I don't know."  
  
She knew that was a blow against his hopes but she'd need Dr. Maffis's permission to reside in the Yuy residence. Wait a second, she was already part of the Yuy residence.  
  
Heero schooled a wounded look, briefly. He seemed slightly shocked that she didn't say yes to him.  
  
"I understand."  
  
Relena was finally allowed out of his embrace. For a moment, she felt as though she belonged, but still, her emotions lay elsewhere.  
  
"Heero, I never meant to hurt you," Relena said, finally having a little fun with this acting.  
  
She picked up her wedding ring, looking back over to Heero to see his reaction. He flinched a little, his eyes watching her intently.  
  
She then played a sad smile on her face as she fingered the ring, turning it over in her fingers slightly. After a couple beats of nothingness, she slid the ring onto the proper finger. She looked down, still marveling at the adrenaline rushing through her.  
  
"I'm not saying yes." Relena stepped towards Heero and placed a hand on his cheek. "And I'm not saying no."  
  
Heero seemed to totally fall into her soft words. It rang hope in his heart where the darkness had taken over when she had left and never returned.  
  
"Then, maybe?" A small smirk passed his lips. Relena winked and suddenly, the tense situation was lifted off both shoulders. Of course, having totally separate meanings in this way, but nonetheless, gone and insignificant.  
  
Heero raised a hand and caught hers, which still rested on his cheek. Slowly he slid it off and held it tenderly. Then he leaned his head down to hers, lifting up her chin-  
  
"Relena! I can't BELIEVE..." Duo bounded into the room, Quatre running in after him. "Um, was this a bad time for you? Cause I can leave."  
  
Heero had a questionable look on his face; Relena read it perfectly.  
  
"Okay, now this is starting to look like a reunion." Relena gave Heero a quick peck on the lips and then made her way to Duo who was still in mid- stride.  
  
"Duo Maxwell," Relena greeted. "I'm glad you came. But how did you know I was back?"  
  
Duo's eyes shot immediately over to Quatre.  
  
"Mr. Winner?" Relena scolded playfully.  
  
"I'm sorry Relena, it's just that I thought everyone would've wanted to see you again, so I took the liberty-"  
  
"In blabbing to everyone that you were finally home!" Duo finished for Quatre. Quatre turned a light shade of pink.  
  
"Yes, since we all haven't seen you since your wedding." Quatre added as his excuse.  
  
"Ahem!" Duo crossed his arms. "Well, SOME of you haven't, but I believe I have. I'd like you to know that Heero and I are best buds. Right Heero?"  
  
"Hn."  
  
"Proof enough," Duo said, totally blowing off Heero's blunt reply. "Oh yeah, Relena, Hilde said she'd come in once she was done crying."  
  
"Crying?" Relena gasped.  
  
"No, not like the world is going to end crying, it's more like, my best friend has finally returned crying, you got me?"  
  
Relena nodded, a tad uncertain.  
  
"Well then everyone, I think it's time to go home." She was right, it was late and she was already tired.  
  
"Wait a second you!" Duo lunged towards Relena and hugged her, TIGHTLY. Her toes were barely touching the floor and by the time Duo was done, Relena wobbled backwards into Heero, who caught her in his arms.  
  
"Sorry Lena." Duo scratched the back of his head. "I guess I got carried away."  
  
"That's all right."  
  
They all made their way out of her office, Relena the last one out. She had much she wanted to ask Brian. She looked around and didn't see Brian anywhere. Shrugging, she told Denise to go home and make herself something nice to eat. She turned off the lights and smiled.  
  
When she had first walked into her house, her and Heero's house, she had the impression that they were fairly wealthy. It was large, grand, and had the finest landscaping she'd ever seen...  
  
It was the only landscaping she'd ever really seen.  
  
But despite that, it was beautiful. Flowers accentuated the house from all around, trees limbs swayed in the lazy wind. The grass was lush and a dark green, so soft under her light footsteps.  
  
Heero had opened the large wooden door to all of them, the intricate carvings bordering the door caught Relena's attention. Angels with their eyes closed and hands clasped together bulged out from the wood, as if they were caught while trying to escape. Vines wrapped around their lower torso, their small wings rested tightly against their backs.  
  
She must've been standing on the brick steps for quite a while because everyone was inside and Heero was still waiting. Waiting just for her.  
  
"Relena?"  
  
She turned and looked at him.  
  
"I'm just amazed by this..." she murmured, making a sweeping motion with her hand in the direction of the carvings.  
  
Silence.  
  
"I remember when you wanted that."  
  
Relena raised an eyebrow but listened all the same.  
  
"You said that at your father's funeral, they had a picture portraying this scene."  
  
"I remember that," she said quietly. None of what she said was even remotely true.  
  
Heero's eyes seemed to smile at her, the pain she had witnessed earlier was just a wandering echo that he seemed to be pushing aside just fine now.  
  
"Let's go inside."  
  
Relena nodded and solemnly walked into the house. The air was cool on her skin, the usual cozy feeling of home wasn't there, misplaced by the expanse of the room. She heard hearty laughing emanating from the room up the hall to the right. As she proceeded down the hallway, she took a glance out to the open area at the end of it. For a moment she swore she saw a pair of eyes staring back at her from the shadows outside of the large window she was looking at.  
  
She felt him behind her.  
  
"Heero, I'm very tired. Do you think that we could continue this," she paused, "reunion, somewhere along the lines of tomorrow?"  
  
He nodded.  
  
"You'll see the stairs if you backtrack and take a left."  
  
She almost said thank you but felt a cold tingling sensation run up her spine.  
  
She spun around, now they were eye to eye with each other. She was afraid that he was becoming suspicious.  
  
"Heero, I think I would still know my way around this house even with my absence."  
  
Now she definitely saw the suspicion in his eyes. But he merely shrugged, kissed her lightly on the cheek, and walked down to where Duo and Quatre were.  
  
Relena shook her head.  
  
Did she just say something stupid? Did she just jeopardize all she'd work for?  
  
No, she was just being paranoid. That's right, just paranoid.  
  
Trudging up the stairs, she noticed that there weren't any pictures or painting hanging upon the walls. Just blank, white walls.  
  
It reminded her...  
  
"Relena, psst!" a voice beckoned to her from atop the stairs.  
  
"Brian, where the hell have you been?"  
  
She heard snickering. She felt heat creep up her neck, the type that only formed when anger brewed.  
  
"You know, Dr. Maffis sure didn't prepare me for this. He never told me ANY of this! So you go off wherever to leave me to fend for myself?" Relena crossed her arms when she got to the top. "Well I refuse to speak to you unless an apology is granted to me from you."  
  
"I'm sorry, so sorry. Could you please get your ass up here?"  
  
She followed his voice into a large bedroom. The bed was king size, the comforter a hue of off white. Brian was sitting on the windowsill that could probably seat three more people. He stared out to the expensive landscaping and sighed.  
  
"You're so lucky to be living like this." Brian noted out of the blue.  
  
"Where are you staying? Dr. Maffis never mentioned that to me."  
  
"That's none of your concern."  
  
Relena put her hands on her hips.  
  
"Oh please, I have a right to know. What if I want to contact you?"  
  
Brian fished something out of back pocket.  
  
"Here." He thrusted it out. Relena stepped forward, grabbed it, and snorted.  
  
It looked like a mini walkie-talkie. It was black, owned a small antennae, was rectangular with smoothed edges, had round speaker type thing, and displayed one button in the center.  
  
"What is this?" she pressed the button.  
  
"ARGH!" Brian pulled something out of his ear.  
  
He rubbed his poor ear and glared at Relena.  
  
"You can't have the ear piece and verbal transmitter this close to each other while both are activated."  
  
"Why?" Relena pressed the button again and heard a sharp high frequency sound spill from the tiny ear piece in Brian's hand.  
  
"Cause I'll most probably go temporarily deaf."  
  
"Oh, that's a bad thing?"  
  
"Ha, you're such the jokester." Brian muttered sarcastically. "It's one way though, you can only talk to me."  
  
"Well obviously," Relena snorted. "A little ear piece like that isn't capable of two way. There's no-"  
  
"Whatever." Brian exhaled loudly. "Technicalities are a bitch."  
  
Relena felt too weary to argue so she sauntered over to the bed and fell upon it. She especially enjoyed the faint 'whoosh' she heard from the down feathers that gave way to her weight.  
  
"Well, I'll see you tomorrow sunshine. Get a good nights sleep."  
  
Relena sat up and amusedly watched Brian fumble with the window latch.  
  
"Aw, big boy bodyguard can't open my window." She teased.  
  
After a few minutes of cursing, Brian managed to open the window. A warm breeze filtered in.  
  
"Adios." He was about to slide down when Relena stopped him.  
  
"You do know that you are jumping from a second story window."  
  
"Yup."  
  
"And you do know that there's a possibility of you break various limbs and such."  
  
"Uh huh."  
  
"And you do know that I never want you climbing through this window to get into the house."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Try the door. I mean, you're a master at picking locks, so use your skill. Your only skill."  
  
"Ouch. Well ma'am, I'm off."  
  
With that he slid down. Relena watched as his hands disappeared from the ledge of the window.  
  
"Good ridden."  
  
"Hey! I heard that!"  
  
Relena smiled and lay back, enjoying the balmy air on her face. Judging by now, Brian was in the garden, making his way to who knows where. She loved the window's view of the garden; it uplifted her spirits. Soon the garden would die away though, it was nearing the end of summer.  
  
All things come to pass.  
  
"Relena, where are you?" Heero's call was enough for her to shoot up and run out of the room.  
  
"Just looking at the garden from the window."  
  
"Oh."  
  
Oh?  
  
"I thought you were tired."  
  
"I am."  
  
Heero appeared from a room opposite from where she was standing.  
  
"Then come to bed."  
  
Relena curled her fingers around the mini walkie-talkie.  
  
"All right."  
  
Their room was most impressive, so much more than the one she was in previously. King size bed of course, but the down comforter was a light blue and the pillows were light and fluffy compared to the other ones. The window was about two times larger than the one she was looking through and so was the sill. Heero seemed a little distracted as she observed her surroundings.  
  
She was almost finished with her little tour when she came to the nightstand. On it was a little crystalline dove. Gingerly, she picked it up, afraid that it was delicate enough to crumble in her hands.  
  
"It's beautiful." She gasped.  
  
She'd never seen anything like it before. Sure, Dr. Maffis had trinkets galore but never did he have one as glorious as this.  
  
Heero said nothing. He just walked over to her, snaked his arms around her slender waist, and rested his chin on the crook of her neck.  
  
For such a quiet, dismal looking guy, he really knew how to make a girl feel special and cared for.  
  
"Time for bed, ne?" Relena whispered, setting down the dove and taking her newly freed hand to stroke the side of his face.  
  
"Hm." He agreed. "Definitely."  
  
He released her and walked into the bathroom.  
  
"You taking a shower?" Relena asked.  
  
"Yup."  
  
"Okay, I'll be in bed."  
  
She waited until he closed the door to set down her walkie-talkie and frantically search for her wardrobe. After opening a couple drawers, she found success and peeled off her starchy political attire. It felt so relieving to slip in the silky nightgown that clung to her figure.  
  
She looked at her form in the dresser mirror, the greenish sheen from the nightgown's material adding to her minute distaste.  
  
"I really need to work out more," she reminded herself, twirling a little to see the fluid motion of the fabric. She heard the water running in the bathroom.  
  
This wouldn't be so bad, so far she was enjoying herself despite the few uncomfortable encounters which she think she handled quite well.  
  
Her eyes rested on the reflection of the bed. She didn't realize how tired she felt until now. Climbing into bed she didn't bother of thinking to brush her teeth or anything. She just wanted to rest.  
  
When Heero walked out of the bathroom, he saw Relena sleeping peacefully, her hair splayed all around her head like a halo. She was his angel, his angel forever.  
  
After drying himself more and running a comb through his damp hair, he pulled on some shorts and retired as well, although it was still a fairly early hour. He rested beside her, one arm draped around her. He pulled her back to his bare chest and sighed.  
  
This is how it was supposed to be.  
  
Relena groaned a little. Heero hugged her closer.  
  
He didn't know how he had forgotten how good this felt to have her safely in his arms. He had been such an idiot. He couldn't believe that he'd once been so ignorant towards her emotions that he tuned her out sometimes. No, he wouldn't allow that again. It had been his fault in the first place, he knew that, and he wouldn't make the same mistake ever.  
  
The crickets' ballad overlapped the darkness as night approached the young sleeping couple. Serenity seemed to be the only feeling existing. All seemed right again, so perfect. So calm.  
  
  
  
"How much more time do we give the subject?"  
  
"Let's wait and see, I don't want our little Claire to feel uncomfortable at all before blood is spilled."  
  
"Right. Then approximately four months?"  
  
"Let's keep that as an estimate, shall we?"  
  
"Yes sir."  
  
"Although, that would be an opportune time to strike, thanks to Quatre Reberba Winner."  
  
  
  
  
  
AN: Okay, there might be a large gap in time when the next chapter comes out...if ever. -_- I definitely have to get my priorities in order, but I LOVE to write so it's hard to do things the RIGHT way. Please review and tell me if I should continue this story or not. If people like it well enough I'll continue but if not...*tear* We'll just have to see what happens. Thanks for those of you that have reviewed in the past! 


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